January
by Ceatha
Summary: Merlin really doesn't like January. A bit of fluff explaining why,and whether anything could possibly change Merlin's mind. My first fanfic! please review, even if it's criticism, if you do you get virtual hugs AND cookies! How can you refuse? XD


January. Merlin really didn't like January.

It wasn't for any particular reason: there was no festival that he despised, no date that brought back haunting memories. Nope, Merlin just thought January was the dullest, dreariest, _greyest _month that there was.

The merriment of Christmas had passed, along with the conundrum that had been this New Year's Eve (Merlin was pretty sure Morgana's flat would never be the same again, what with Gwaine setting off the celebratory fireworks _indoors_), leaving behind a ton of thank you letters to write to relatives he hardly even knew existed, new year's resolutions that were guaranteed to be broken by the time it got to February, and a lot of greyish slush on the street where perfect, white snow had once been.

And of course, there were the early mornings. After two weeks of getting up in the early hours of the afternoon if it pleased him, being wrenched for his slumber by the irritating screeches of his alarm clock was hardly something Merlin had been looking forward to.

Rubbing at his eyes, Merlin looked over to the window to find it still pitch-black outside. The only light in the room was the red glow of the numbers on his clock, reading 6:45am. Guh. He had work today. Merlin groaned inwardly and, after hitting the button on the top of the clock that told it to sleep for ten minutes, turned his head back into the pillow. He could lie in bed for a little while longer. Just ten more minutes.

Merlin shivered. There, another thing about January. It was _cold_. Not the nice cold that you got at the start of winter, where it prickled your skin like tiny icicles, and your breath puffed out in clouds around your head in the clear, fresh air. This kind of cold was sluggish and wet, the air heavy and damp, not enough to warrant the full mittens, hat and scarf ensemble, but enough still to have the ability to wrap soggy tendrils under your coat and make your teeth chatter.

Merlin let out a little puff of air, still trembling slightly as the cold air seeped in through the gaps in his blanket, invading the bubble of warmth that he had tried so hard to keep hold of all night. Merlin curled in on himself, wrapping himself in a tiny little ball, conserving the little heat he had left. However, his movements had seemed to disturb the sleeping figure beside him, who then rolled over in his sleep to face Merlin's back, and whispered a sleepy "morning."

Ah. So, not asleep then.

"morning, Arthur," Merlin smiled as he felt his boyfriend shuffle closer to Merlin in the bed, before reaching out to stroke along his jawline from behind.

"Jesus, Merlin, you're freezing," Arthur muttered to the back of Merlin's head. "I didn't know your generous nature extended to giving your warmth away to the duvet."

"I don't know whether or not to take that as a compliment."

"Interpret it as you will; all I have to say is that whilst you look very comfortable laying there with your legs poking out the bottom of the duvet-"

"It's not my fault you steal the duvet in your sleep, dollop head."

"And it's not my fault that your elbows are so sharp they should come with a health hazard, they leave bruises, you know. I was merely taking precautions for my own safety."

"In your sleep."

"Precisely. Anyway, back to the point, I just thought I'd mention that I happen to be rather warm over here, and I'm sure I can find some warmth to spare, should you happen to want it."

"…Huh?"

Arthur huffed out an irritated breath. "I mean come here, you buffoon. You're turning into a Merlin-shaped ice cube over there, and crazy as I may seem, I actually kind of like the human version of you. Y'know, the not-frozen one."

"Aww, Arthur, if I didn't know you better I would have thought you were actually _worried _ about me for a second!"

"Don't be stupid, Merlin. Now stop being such a girl and get over here."

"Yes ma'am," Merlin replied cheekily, rolling over to come face to face with Arthur, who rolled his eyes at Merlin's comment but pulled the dark haired man into his arms anyway. He tried not to shiver as Merlin's frozen body came into contact with his own, but try as he might he could not help letting in a sharp intake of breath as the brunette's hands slid around his waist, each fingertip like the pinpoint of an icicle.

Merlin withdrew his hands as soon as he heard Arthur's reaction. "Oops… Sorry about that. I didn't think about it- I'll just, um, put them, erm…" He tried to squish his hands down by his sides in an attempt to get them out of the way.

Arthur responded by snorting softly and taking Merlin's arms, wrapping them back around his waist and pillowing the man's head on Arthur's shoulder. "Don't be such a clot, Merlin. There- comfy?"

"Mm" Merlin sighed, sinking into Arthur's warmth and the glorious feeling of just being held like this, with the kind of affection that Arthur so rarely displayed. These were the moments that Merlin felt his happiest, like he was warm and safe and just about to drift off to-

BEEP.

Merlin emitted a long groan and buried his face in Arthur's chest, sighing deeply. "I really have to get up now" He grumbled into Arthur's nightshirt. "First day of work and all that."

"Merlin, what are you on about?" Arthur said, and Merlin could _hear_ his eyebrow raising in confusion at what Merlin had just said.

"Work, Arthur. You know, that thing that we do where we have a job and we get up at oh-stupid-hundred hours to be able to get there on time to- are you laughing?"

Arthur was indeed laughing, silent chuckles that vibrated through his body and into the mattress so that Merlin could feel Arthur's laughter radiating all around the two of them, rippling out of him in tremors.

"Arthur, I don't- _why are you_ _laughing?_"

"Because, _Mer_lin_, _as much as you love your job, I can never remember you going to work on a _weekend._"

Merlin pulled back from Arthur, frowning confusedly. "That's because I never have. Arthur, what are you talking about?"

"It's Sunday, Merlin. You don't have work today. You set your alarm a day early."

" What?"

"Take a look at the date"  
>Merlin did, and turned back to the alarm clock. It read 6:58am. He looked underneath. The glowing red numbers faintly illuminated the date- Sunday the 6th.<p>

Merlin was horrified. "You mean… a day early- no- I set it- _what-_ I could be-"

Merlin groaned, turned onto his front, and thwacked his head into the pillow. "I could be sleeping" he mumbled into the pillow.

"Yep. Congratulations, Merlin, you are now worthy to be officially deemed as a top-of-the-range, first class, complete and total _idiot_."

"Oh, shut up, clotpole. I'm in distress, have a little sympathy."

"Oh, I do apologise, _Mer_lin. Allow me to fetch my handkerchief to wipe away the tears of sympathy that I shed for your tragic predicament."

"Prat."

"Idiot."

Merlin sighed, turning over to face Arthur and once again snuggling into his chest. "Okay, that's it. I am going back to sleep- I've missed out on too much already."

Arthur chuckled, arms encircling Merlin's thin body and resting his lips in Merlin's hair.

"Goodnight, Merlin," He murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Merlin's head.

"Goodnight, Arthur," Merlin replied, voice muffled against Arthur's chest. "Love you."

"I love you too. Get some rest." Arthur closed his eyes and lay there, breathing in the scent that was uniquely Merlin.

Laying there, Arthur's body warming Merlin's own, Arthur's heart beating under Merlin's ear, Merlin was pretty sure he would be perfectly happy just to stay there with the man he loved, with Arthur, until he stars fell out of the sky, and longer. Until the end of time itself.

Perhaps, Merlin thought, as he drifted off to sleep, January wasn't so bad after all.


End file.
